As air travel becomes more prevalent to the modern lifestyle, competition among commercial airlines has created a need for more comfortable passenger seating within aircraft cabins while maximizing the occupancy of the aircraft. One of the common fixtures of comfort within an aircraft is the armrest.
Typical armrests are bulky and, when attached to each edge of a seat, take up valuable space within the cabin of an aircraft or other vehicle. Armrests may also contribute significantly to the weight of the vehicle. However, eliminating armrests entirely is not a viable option because it would significantly diminish the comfort of passengers.
To overcome this problem, some armrests have been designed to attach to a wall of an aircraft instead of the seat, allowing additional spacing in each row of seats. Unfortunately, these armrest systems may need additional mounting hardware, resulting in additional weight and potentially less structural integrity. Further, these armrests may extend uncomfortably into a passengers personal space. What is needed is an armrest system that increases space within an aircraft cabin while reducing weight and cost limitations.